Guarding the House Within

Guarding the House Within

Gospel Reflection – Luke 11:15-26

In today's Gospel, Jesus casts out a demon, and instead of awe and gratitude, some accuse Him of driving out demons by the power of Beelzebul. Others demand a sign from heaven, as if healing and deliverance were not enough. This moment reveals something deeply human — our tendency to resist the truth when it confronts us too directly, especially when it challenges the comforts of our own ways of thinking or living.

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, responds with a powerful lesson: “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste… If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?” (v. 17-18). He dismantles their accusation with pure logic, but He doesn’t stop there. He continues with an image: “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him… he distributes the spoils.” (v. 21-22)

Here, Jesus is speaking about spiritual warfare — not just in the world, but in us. The "strong man" guarding the palace represents the devil, holding people captive in sin. But Jesus is the stronger one who comes to liberate us. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He breaks the power of evil and sets us free. But freedom, in the spiritual life, is not passive. It requires vigilance.

He goes on to say something unsettling: “When an unclean spirit goes out of a person… it goes back and finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself… and the last condition of that person is worse than the first.” (v. 24-26)

This is a warning. It’s not enough to remove sin from our lives. If we don’t fill that space with God — with prayer, virtue, sacraments, charity — the emptiness becomes a target for something worse. Neutrality in the spiritual life is dangerous. As Jesus says elsewhere, “Whoever is not with me is against me” (v. 23). We must choose Him every day.

This Gospel urges us to examine: what are the spiritual “strongholds” in our lives? Have we allowed Christ to enter and free us? And once freed, have we filled our hearts with His presence, or have we remained empty, vulnerable to old patterns and sins returning with greater force?

This is a call to spiritual discipline. Confession clears the soul, but prayer guards it. Charity strengthens it. The Eucharist fills it. We must make our souls a dwelling place for God, not just a clean but empty house.

Key Takeaway:
Deliverance from sin is only the beginning. To remain free, we must let Christ dwell fully in our hearts and guard our souls through daily faithfulness, or else risk becoming captive once again.

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus,
You are the stronger one, who has conquered sin and death.
Come and dwell within me, and make my heart Your home.
Protect me from the snares of the evil one, and help me to remain vigilant.
Fill me with Your Spirit, so that I may never be empty, but always overflowing with Your love and truth.
Amen.